Saradha Scam-Accused Madan Mitra Remanded To Judicial Custody

20/11/2015 1:01 PM IST
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Updated
15/07/2016 8:25 AM IST

PTI

Hindustan Times via Getty Images

KOLKATA, INDIA - DECEMBER 13: Madan Mitra, West Bengal Transport Minister (Trinamool Congress) being taken to the Alipore court from the CBI office, at Saltlake on December 13, 2014 in Kolkata, India. He has been arrested in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam. Thousands of investors allegedly lost over INR 200-300 billion when Saradha chit fund group collapsed in April 2013. (Photo By Subhendu Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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KOLKATA -- Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal minister Madan Mitra, whose bail was cancelled by the Calcutta High Court today, surrendered before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Alipore here and was remanded to 14-days judicial custody.

Mitra is accused in the multi-crore rupees Saradha chit fund scam.

The TMC leader had reached the Alipore court at around 4.15 PM in the afternoon, but had to wait till 11.20 PM for the 22-page High Court order.

Soon after the HC order arrived at Alipore court, ACJM Alipore Sugata Roychowdhury remanded him to 14-days judicial custody.

The counsels of Mitra in the surrender petition prayed for all necessary medical assistance for the former minister as he is suffering from various ailments. They also requested that Mitra be treated as a Division-I prisoner and lodged at the Alipore central jail, which were granted by the court.

Earlier in the day, allowing a petition by the CBI pleading to cancel the bail granted by a lower court on October 31 to Madan Mitra, a division bench of Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapas Mukherjee cancelled Mitra's bail and asked him to surrender.

Mitra's counsel S K Kapur sought seven days time to surrender, but the court rejected it.

During the hearing, Mitra's lawyer argued that there is no evidence of tampering by his client who is "not a history-sheeter".

Mitra, who was arrested by CBI on December 12, 2014 for alleged complicity in the Saradha scam, was granted bail by Alipore court on October 31.

Later the Calcutta High Court directed that Mitra would remain in house confinement under police surveillance till the disposal of CBI's plea for cancellation of his bail.

Madan, who was the state's transport minister, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday hours after the CBI argued before the Calcutta High Court that his bail be cancelled. It was then forwarded to Governor K N Tripathi.

Citing his capacity to influence as a cabinet minister, the CBI had yesterday argued before the court that he could tamper with evidence as investigators are trying to find out the money trail.